ᐅ The architect wants to charge without using the HOAI fee structure.

Hello!

After much consideration, we have decided to build our single-family house with an architect.

We had an appointment with an architect who seemed very likable and competent. However, he does not charge according to the HOAI regulation but has a different architects’ insurance. For the construction of the house, he set a fee rate of 13%.

Additionally, he offers support for another 2 years beyond the construction phase.

Besides his work as an architect, he also runs a construction company.

For a single-family house measuring 9m x 12m (29.5 ft x 39.4 ft), one and a half stories, he estimates construction costs of 400,000 € (approximately 400,000 euros) for a turnkey build. However, his fee is not included in this amount. This figure does not align with our expectations as we are aiming for around 390,000 € (approximately 390,000 euros) including the architect’s fee.

What do you think about building outside the HOAI guidelines? What advantages does the architect have, and would we be taking on any risks?

Does anyone know what costs are eligible under the HOAI regulation? What percentage does the HOAI specify for the architect’s fee?

Many thanks in advance for your help!

minhphuc schrieb:
After much back and forth, we decided to build our single-family house with an architect.

We had an appointment with an architect who was very likeable and seemed competent. However, he does not charge according to the HOAI regulations, but has a different architect insurance. For the construction of the house, he sets a fee rate of 13%. In addition, he offers support for another 2 years beyond the construction phase.

The architect also runs a construction company (GmbH).

For a single-family house measuring 9m x 12m (30ft x 40ft), one and a half stories, he estimates construction costs of €400,000 (turnkey). However, his fee is not included in this €400,000. This amount is not compatible with our own expectations, as we are aiming more toward €390,000 including the architect’s fee.

What do you think about building outside the HOAI regulations? What does the architect gain from this, and would we be taking any risks?

The architect acts as a general contractor (GC) since you are building with his construction company. This means he can charge you a flexible fee without being bound by the strict HOAI rules. This is similar to regional or national builders, where the architect’s services are included in the total price offered.

Regarding the fee itself, I cannot say much since I don’t know which fee zone your project is in. However, the fee proposed by your preferred architect seems quite high — if the 13% fee really refers to the house price.

Best regards, Bauexperte

The construction itself is initially unrelated to the payment of the architect. The quality or cost of the building does not directly affect whether the architect’s fees are higher or lower.

Search online for HOAI calculators, and you can calculate the range within which the architect can charge according to the HOAI.

Thank you in advance for the helpful comments!

Can an architect who charges according to HOAI classify the construction of a single-family house as they wish? Or is only the minimum to maximum fee rate within the respective fee zone freely negotiable?

According to an initial phone conversation with another architect, they already said: single-family houses fall under fee zone 3 maximum rate or fee zone 4 minimum rate in our case. Isn’t it a bit premature to make such a classification without knowing more? I had been thinking more along the lines of fee zone 3 – middle rate or something similar.

Is it even feasible to build a single-family house with 160 m² (1722 sq ft) of living space and at least a partial basement for €1900 per m² (square meter) of living space, plus €50,000 for the basement? This should, of course, include all additional costs (plumbing, electrical, utility connections), except of course the architect’s fee.

When the architect invoices based on HOAI, they cannot classify the project arbitrarily; instead, HOAI includes a points catalog that defines this classification and the level of complexity. The scope for negotiation arises from the minimum and maximum rates. If the architect also acts as the construction company, certain special considerations apply. Firstly, I see a potential "conflict of interest" in the project planning because they will likely try to design especially cost-effectively or keep the specifications simple to maintain the offer. During construction supervision, they will also be unlikely to report defects or delays honestly and threaten with remedial actions against themselves. I believe a turnkey offer according to drawings and construction specifications, including all necessary planning services, would be desirable.

Hi,
an architect cannot be both the builder and the architect at the same time. It’s one or the other…

Best regards